Peshwar Lancers Redux: Kingdom of Hawaii

[David S Poepoe]

The Silky Oak was introduced to Hawaii in 1859, but was probably widespread thru out the islands by 1880, so can't be considered native. It apprently was used a veneer in the world furniture trade.

The Northfolk Pine is not an actual pine tree, but looks similar. I recall many were used as Christmas trees.

Historically, it has been very hard to establish an export product for Hawaii. The government tried all sorts of things, coffee was first grown there in the 1800s, but other places can produce more than a mere island chain.

 

[chris N]

It does seem that Hawaii has few exports other than making a material that is very similar to Portland Cement. I have still been looking to see if other types of trees might be able to grow in Hawaii like the Italian Pine. I see that there are walnut tree that grow in Hawaii but while a very nice wood I am not sure how good it would be in the construction of warships. For now I will just have to saw that before the fall the Hawaiian Shipyards had received a shipment of lumber.It does However appear that starting with Captain Cook there has been a lot of effort to grow other types of trees in Hawaii and many of them have been successful.

The Hawaiian shipping line had at least 1 or more ship like the one below.

 

[chris N]

The Hawaiian Chieftain was one of several ships built in the Hawaiian Islands. The Picture below shows a current replica.

 

[chris N]

Another is the Lady Washington seen below.

 

[chris N]

King David Kalakau took the throne on February 12,1874 and already he felt the pressure of the office. There had been a number of problems. Even within the Parliament there were those that were pushing the country to become part of the US. Great Britain had exerted its power to block that from happening.
There were even those that were pushing for a "Great Hawaii Kingdom by annexing islands to the Kingdom. The King knew that something was in the wind and appointed his "friends" to post in the Government. It was a good thing that he had them for within less than 4 years the entire would would turn upside down. He continued to do all that he could to encourage the development of Hawaii into a Kingdom that would be able to export more than it imported. Do to the Healthcare reforms and immigration the population of the islands was ever increasing. The native (enthnic Polynesian) population had grown to 212,000 and Immigration over the decades had added at least another 228,000.
The Island had a foundry, shipyards etc. But it still had a problem in not having ores and coal. The country had tried a variety of sources to provide power, Dams and wind mills.
The Military had enough small arms to arm a sizeable force and there were a lot of artillery pieces of varios sizes and types. Only recently had the country aquired the ability to make its own gunpowder. It had two gunsmiths that wer capable of repairing and making some small arms but even so to do that required the importation of metal or the new steel.

Hawaii had traded with Australia , New Zealand, China and Japan as well as the US and Canada (and Great Britain). It had recently purchased some 6,000 Martini Henry Rifle used by the British Army.

 

[chris N]

While everything seemed to be going well in the Kingdom there were problems just as in any other country. In 1870 there had been a new Constitution submitted and ratified. While an improvement over the two previous constitutions it had left some in the Missionary Party still attempting to push the country toward joining the US. What they failed to realize was their wishes had been blocked by the Queen -Empress of Great Britain. The British had no desire to see the US pick up the islands.

The Royal Hawaiian Constabulary was being kept busy these days with not just visiting sailors off of the Merchant and Whaling ships but from crime that seemed to be growing as a result of Immigration from the Far East.
Still despite everything these were the good days and who would have thought that in just 4 years everything would change.

 

[chris N]

The Shipyard in Honolulu had begun construction on a new ship the King Kamehameha. It was the fifth ship that the yard would be constructing. With each ship they seemed to have learned to do better.
A Young Royal Hawaiian Naval officer by the name of John Masters was there overseeing the construction. John had been a graduate of the Naval school and he had also been spending time at sea.

 

[chris N]

The Hawaiian government was purchasing some naval guns for its warships from the British manufactures. It also purchased some more rifles and Munitions but this would be probably the last arms purchase from Great Britain. The Hawaiians were buying a lot of surplus artillery pieces from the United States , which still was trying to get rid of a lot of old guns left over from the Civil War.

 

[David S Poepoe]

The Shipyard in Pearl Harbor had begun construction on a new ship the King Kamehameha. It was the fifth ship that the yard would be constructing. With each ship they seemed to have learned to do better.
A Young Royal Hawaiian Naval officer by the name of John Masters was there overseeing the construction. John had been a graduate of the Naval school and he had also been spending time at sea.

The shipyard would most likely be in Honolulu proper since that is where the consentration of population and industry are. Honolulu Iron Works had its major foundry right now downtown for years. The problem with the use of the Pearl River Harbor, much like Honolulu, is that the mouth of either harbor needs to be dredged in order to make harbors accessible even during low tides. The mouths of Honolulu Harbor and Pearl Harbor were not dredged until the 1900s.

If this is Post-Fall you should have the Hawaiian government adopt a policy of annexation of guano islands, much like the US. If they can get down to Nauru at least they will have a major industry that will reap money even from Europe.

 

[chris N]

David thanks again for the assist. Right at the moment all of this is prefall but I am nearing the time of the fall and there will quite a few changes Walter M Gibson will push the King toward a greater Hawaii as a means of safeguarding the nation.Mr Gibson will eventually take the post of Prime Minister.

 

[chris N]

Supreme Court Justice William Little Lee had nearly died in 1857 but the doctors had managed to save his life but he had never totally recovered.He had asked the King to relieve him of the post and had been replaced by ELis Hunt Allen. Justice Lee had then retired to his residence on a Sugar Plantation that he owned with his wife. The Justice was a strong support of the Monarchy .

In one of the Treaties to be signed by the United States and the Kingdom of Hawaii Foreign Affair Minister William L Green signed the treaty of Reciprocity with the Grant Administration. Mr Green had previously held the B
post of British Consulate 1n1859.

 

[chris N]

The King was About to make a lot of Changes to the government as the Fall approached. He asked Walter M Gibson to take the post of Prime Minister and he accepted, Charles Bishop was asked to take the post of Minister Of War/Navy having previously served as foreign Minister, William J Creighton was to replace William L Green as the Minster of Foreign Affairs. Samuel Mills Damon was appointed Finance Minister. Below the Man who would straighten out the financial problems facing the nation in the period before the fal and during the Fall period.

 

[chris N]

Hawaii's population was continuing to grow. Immigration was causing a surge in the population as people from various European countries and the far east came to the islands for a new life. Unfortunately not all of the Immigrants had the best interest of the Islands or its people in mind. The Royal Hawaiian Constabulary or Police force was being kept busy combating the arrival of the Tong. It took a valiant effort by many police officers and cooperation from the civilian population before the Tong grip was weaken. For a period of time it was almost like a small war fought in the backrooms. An attempt to steal weapons from a military depot resulted in a massive manhunt that saw a violent shootout between the police and the Gang..
Things then went back to normal with the Parliament arguing over the expenditure of so much money on the military and the police.

 

[chris N]

Hawaii was now in 1875 midway toward the next census count. Population growth had given the islands a lot more chance to grow. There were now several banks on the islands and the export of Sugar Cane and fruits and woods was providing the island with a lot of cash. The Prime Minister was still pushing for annexing other islands. He had also exchanged letters with the Governor General of New Zealand regarding some trade problem matters.
There was still a movement within the Parliament to have the US Annex Hawaii but the Prime Minister was not one of those. Indeed he was a member of the Nationalist Party and a supporter of the Monarchy and an Independent Hawaii. He did have some suspicions that Mr Standford B Dole was not as loyal to the Monarchy as he was. He had reports of comments by him in private that the man wanted Hawaii to eventually join the US but he also noted that he was loyal to the people of Hawaii.
The arrival of two large artillery pieces marked the end of the arms purchases. These guns would deter any attack on the Capital.

 

[chris N]

Hawaii's foundry had been importing scrap Iron as well as Iron ore. It had be asked if it could supply the platting to build an Ironclad. The owner was not sure if it would be possible but it would take a lot moe iron ore than what he had on hand. It was doubtful that the Hawaiian Parliament would approve the money for such an undertaking as they felt that with the Royal Navy and the United States Navy to protect them there was no need really for an Hawaiian Navy.
The ship that they were thinking of building would be similar to the picture below. The Navy's officers were of mixed minds on the subject. They would love to have steam powered warships but an Ironclad. That was another question. It would need to be ocean going and that would present a problem getting into the Harbor.

 

[David S Poepoe]

The Hawaiians should just purchase their warships from Britain, particularly since the British frequently arranged loans to help sell warships. Building a warship is an immensely complex proceedure and I don't think the Islands have the capability to completely outfit large warships. Besides the picture you have is that of a shallow draft Eads ironclad that won't be of much good.

 

[chris N]

I did think that it would be too shallow drafted for the Pacific. Actually what I really had in mind was an improved version of this ship(see below).
David any suggestions for warships that Britain might have sold to Hawaii and would be there before TH FALL?

 

[chris N]

Perhaps the British might have built a ship for Hawaii like the Confederate Raider CSS Alabama,

 

[David S Poepoe]

Any warship the Hawaiians would use would be sail and steam powered. Steam engines are not reliable for the time period, they are at most still single or dual expansion engines and consume a lot of coal. For the 1870s or so the British are selling off dozens of their smaller gunboats, which would do fine just for steaming around the island chain. Anything like an improved 'Virginia' would just be a waste of money and a hazard to operate in high seas, consider what happened to the former-CSS/USS Atlanta.

 

[chris N]

Okay I am not wedded to the idea of an Ironclad and can see that perhaps an improve Alabama type ship might be something that would give the Hawaiians greater range and flexibility. I could not see it having more than two of these ships and the rest would be smaller.